Pipe cutting apparatus



March 15, 1938. AL WREY A 2,110,913 r PIPE CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1936 /5 l l/ I E q E 25 E C -/0 I I? /Z z 4 g H I a).

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H 1e 05 I Z I 25 '62 0 l7 l6 LL l 2/ ;70 \I i 6 1 A? S i m 7 o" 1 (5M 2/7, I g M Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PIPE CUTTING APPARATUS George A. Lower, Goose Creek,

Hall and Lowrey, Incorporated,

PATENT OFFICE JUN 1 o Tex., assignor to Goose Creek,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to pipe cutting apparatus and has particular relation to a novel type of reaming cutter for removing a section of pipe in a well bore preparatory to side tracking the 5 lower end of the bore.

In carrying on well drilling operations the well bore, at times, becomes obstructed or it may become inclined to such an extent that it is necessary to side track the lower end of the bore in 10 order to straighten it. In either of said events it is-common practice to lower a whip stock into the well casing and anchor it therein above the obstruction or at the point where the bore is to be straightened, for use in connection with a 115 milling tool to mill out the side of the casing so as to form a window or opening through which subsequent drilling operations may be carried on. This is a rather diflicult and uncertain operation and it is one of the prime objects of this 20 invention to provide a reaming cutter whereby a section of the well pipe may be completely removed without the use of a whip stock, which may then be set in the upper end of the lower section remaining in the bore with its tapering 25 face opposite the cut out portion of the pipe for side tracking the drilling tool while carrying on the subsequent drilling operations.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel 30 features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the reaming 5 cutter employed shown partly in sect on.

Figure 2 shows a side view thereof as applied to the work.

Figure 3 shows a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 shows a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower end of the tool.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 45 l designates a well casing showing an .intermediate section thereof cut away in the well and showing the reaming and cutting tool at work therein.

The numeral 2 designates the cutter head which 50 is preferably cylindrical in form and whose upper end is formed with the outwardly threaded reduced pin 3 onto which the lower end of the elongated tubular collar 4 is threaded. A tubular operating string 5 is connected to the upper end of the collar 4. The head 2 has an axial bore 6 whose lower end is reduced and threaded into said reduced lower end there is a tubular stop 1 which extends up above the reduced end of the bore and which is secured in place by an annular lock nut 8 which is threaded into the lower end of the bore and abuts said stop.

Fitted into the bore 6 there is an actuating rod 9 which extends up into the cylinder I formed by the collar 4. On the upper end of this rod there is a plunger II which works in the cylinder 80. A stop member 12 is threaded onto the rod 9 and may be locked thereon at any desired point of adjustment by the lock nut 13 also threaded on to the rod. A coil spring l4 surrounds the rod 9 and is interposed between the stop l2 and the upper end of the head 2 and normally holds the plunger and rod elevated and the reaming and cutting blades, hereinafter referred to, retracted.

There are the pairs of upper, intermediate and lower cutting and reaming blades, indicated re-.

spectively by the numerals l5, l6 and I1. These blades are pivoted near their outer ends in the head to work on the respective cross pins 18, I9 and 20. The inner ends of the blades have the elongated slots as 2| and said inner ends'work against the fiat side faces as 22 formed on the rod 9 and projecting outwardly from these respective side faces are the studs 23 which work through the slots 2|.

Each pair of blades when in outer or working position, projects outfarther than the pair of blades immediately beneath so that the upper cutting and reaming blades will cut entirely through the pipe but those beneath will act as reaming blades as clearly indicated in Figure 2.

In use the tool is lowered into the well to the desired point. The operating string extends to the ground surface and liquid under pump pressure is forced down through said! string and gradually moves the plunger and plunger rod downwardly while the tool is rotated. The outer or cutting ends of the upper blades l5 will be forced into contact with and will,cut entirely through the pipe and the intermediate blades 16 will be projected out and are of a length to out about two-thirds of the way through while the lower blades M will penetrate the pipe or casing about one-third of the way through.

When the upper blades have cut entirely through the pipe the cutting and reaming tool may then be gradually lowered so that an entire section of the pipe will be cut away as indicated in Figure 2 and the cutting operation may be continued until the required amount of pipe has RElSSUtL of open hole.

It will be noted that when the cutting and reaming blades have reached the limit of their outward movement the lower end of the rod 9 will contact the upper end of the stop 1.

Side cavities 24, 25 and 26 are formed in the head I to give suflicient clearance for the blades to permit them to properly operate. I

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tool for removing a section of casing in a well bore comprising a cutter head, a cylinder above the cutter head, an operating string attached to the upper end of the tool, an actuating rod vertically reciprocable through the head, a plunger on the rod in the cylinder, yieldable means normally holding the rod and plunger elevated, series of cutters pivotally mounted in the head and whose inner ends are operatively connected with the rod whereby upon downward movement of the rod the cutters will be projected outwardly from the head into cutting relation with the casing, the upper cutters being of a length to project out further than the cutters beneath. i

2. A tool for removing a section of casing in a well bore comprising a cutter head, upper, intermediate and lower cutters on the head, means arranged to be actuated by fluid under pressure to move the cutters into outer or active position, said cutters, when in inactive position, extending out at unequal distances from the head and means for retracting the cutters upon relief of the fluid pressure.

3. A tool for removing a section of casing in a well bore comprising a cutter head, upper, intermediate and lower cutters on the head, means arranged to be actuated by fluid under pressure to move the cutters into outer or active position, said cutters, when in active position, extending out at unequal distances from the head, means for retracting the cutters upon relief of the fluid pressure, and stop means for limiting the movement of the cutters toward active position. v

4. A tool for cutting out a section of casing in a well bore comprising a cutter head, a tubular operating string to which the head is attached, upper and lower cutters mounted on the head and movable outwardly into active position in cutting relation with the casing and into inward or retracted position, said cutters when in active position, extending out in unequal distances from the head and means for actuating said cutters into either of said positions.

GEORGE A. LOWREY. 

